Two senior police officers from the Malawi Police Service visited Grampians Community Health, as part of a study tour.
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The aim of the study tour was to gain firsthand knowledge and practical skills in order to further develop the MPS peer support program.
The study tour relates to Victoria Police’s peer support program, which is a welfare based program focussing on the needs of its members and is provided by fellow members.
Within the MPS, police chaplains attend to the welfare issues of its members. In comparison, Victoria Police either deal with welfare matters through the police unit, as well as referring out to agencies such as Grampians Community Health.
The police officers from the Spirituals, Integrity and Counselling Services in the MPS, Deputy Commissioner Charles Masambuka and Senior Superintendent Steve Likhucha, visited Grampians Community Health to gain further understanding of local support services available.
The MPS established the branch of Spirituals, Integrity and Counselling Services in September 2013 to mainstream issues of spirituality and integrity within its operations.
Senior Superintendent Likhucha said in Malawi the different sections of the police weren’t connected like they were in Victoria.
“We don’t have a psychological unit,” he said.
He said he also saw how Victoria Police’s monitoring and assessment centre, where they are able to report to one office, is making is easier for officers.
The MPS and Grampians Community Health spoke about gambling, alcohol and other drug services, as well as family violence services.
“Interestingly the issues they face in Malawi were not dissimilar to what we see within our local communities,” Grampians Community Health’s manager of gambling, alcohol and other drug services Caleb Lourensz said.
“It was great to be able to speak with Deputy Commissioner Masambuka and Senior Superintendent Likhucha regarding the impacts substance use has within their culture and provide information about the services we provide to the community.”
Grampians Community Health family violence counsellor Rachael Sanya spoke to the MPS about Victorian police’s response to family violence incidents.
“It has been great to see how the Victorian police have transformed the way that they respond to family violence incidents,” Ms Sanya said.
The MPS and the Anti-Corruption Bureau in Malawi work together to ensure the integrity of its officers.
They conduct integrity tests aimed at measuring the levels of integrity among its officers.
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